"Microsoft recently extended 'It Just Works' compatibility for Visual Basic 6 applications through the full lifetime of Windows 8. Visual Basic 6 first shipped in 1998, so its apps will have at least 24 years of supported lifetime. Contrast that with the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0 (2002), which is incompatible with Windows 7 (2009)."

Unfortunately, the software industry doesn't have Board Certifications like Doctors or the Bar like Lawyers - all we have is stupid vendor certifications that don't mean anything. I expect eventually we will, but until then then I will happily try and defend the label as best I can. Being a professional programmer carries with it (or at least should) a sense of responsibility - you are writing things that can affect people in very unpredictable ways. There is nothing wrong with hacking or hobby development - but it that is not what I am talking about. VB6 is simply noot good enough to be used professionally - it is simply broken.

And how would you enforce any of this and why does it matter?

During my whole degree I was working using PHP (Web) or Java and Oracle SQL.

The tech I am using now is .NET and I don't write any SQL anymore. The only thing I carried over was OOP and being able to think in "Sets" for SQL based queries.

Also I know many programmers that have no degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering aka Self Taught programmers that are far better than those that have a degree.

Believe it or not Medical Students do to cram for exams and there are truly some crap doctors, they become GPs because they can't cut it in a Hospital.

The only significant skill you need as a developer over other people can be explained by this

"The difference between developers and those who aren't , is that developers expect the computer to do what they tell it and not what they want it to do".

Understanding that very subtle difference makes more difference than having some sort of degree or official certification.